Sail GP Abu Dhabi: Aussie Flying Roos bid for $3m series prize alive despite shocking day on water
The wind was barely enough to ruffle hair but the conditions created a dramatic race for survival for the Australian SailGP team chasing a $3 million payday in Abu Dhabi.
It’s not often you get off the water able to smile after finishing near last in numerous races and breaking the start of two but after a bizarre day on the water that was the state of play for the Aussie SailGP crew after day one of the Abu Dhabi series finale.
In a boat-on-boat war with Spain, the team trying to displace them for a spot in the three boat final late Sunday where the winner will take home $3 million, the day was just won by Tom Slingsby and his crew who are backed by Hollwood duo Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.
Incredibly, while the proceedings were bad for the Australians, they were actually marginally worse for Diego Botin and his Spanish crew who need to finish three places ahead of the Australians in the qualifying races to nab a spot in the one-race finale.
Slingsby ended the day in 10th place overall in the 12 boat fleet. Botin is in 11th.
This means, with just two qualifying races remaining, Slingsby and his team are the tips to advance into the final - most likely beside Great Britain and New Zealand.
But they must sail better than on day one.
So light were the conditions crews were actually halved from the normal six to just three and at times their 50-footers - designed to crack 100 km an hour – were so slow a fast walker out on a stroll could have overtaken them at times.
But while other crews adapted, the Flying Roos struggled and finished 10th in the first race in the fleet of 12. Luckily Span were dead last.
The Australians then broke the start in the second race, but as more luck would have it, so did Spain.
At race end the Flying Roos had another 10th to their name with the Spanish finishing in ninth.
The Spanish then made the top three in the next race where the Australians finished eighth but incredibly Botin and his team then blew the start of the fourth race.
Australia went on to finish fifth with Spain coming home in 11th.
“It’s just snakes and ladders and it’s been really tough,’’ Slingsby said during the racing.
Knives, lucky undies, AC/DC! Inside the Aussie crew’s $3m SailGP bid
Lucky undies, ear moulds, ice baths, AC/DC, chocolate, inspirational quotes and special gloves - these are some of the things the Australian SailGP crew hope will help deliver a $3m payday this weekend.
Australian skipper Tom Slingsby and his Flying Roos team are in box position to qualify via lead-up races for the three-boat final where they will chase the $3m cheque for the SailGP series winners.
And they are leaving no stone unturned in their campaign to find a winning edge, no matter how small or strange
Slingsby and his team have provided an exclusive insight into the little one percenters, rituals and quirky things being incorporated to improve their chances of winning - and some of them may surprise.
They involved everything from having the comforts of home around to sweet treats, motivational sayings, a moulded ear piece and ice baths.
There’s also a few superstitions at play as they chase their first win in the series involving the racing of high-speed foiling catamarans capable to speeds in excess of 100km/h.
We take a look inside the Flying Roos extraordinary preparations for the finale of the worlds richest sailing series
Gloves
Gloves are used when installing rudders to avoid any contaminants, like sunscreen or grease, touching the surface. Even the smallest mark can impact the water flow to attach to the foil surface.
Grand Final Playlist
Uplifting and high energy Spotify list boasting everything from some banging music form AC/DC to The Presets.
Area checks
Athletes will run daily checks of each of their areas pre-and–post training and racing to identify any small refinements or technical issues for the shore team.
Special ear moulds
Specially fitted ear moulds to block out the high-pitch whistling of the F50 to reduce outside distractions and increase focus while racing.
New safety knives
The athletes will be kitted out with new knives for the grand final as a safety measure if needed during a capsize or drama aboard. .
Chocolate
M&M’s aboard. A Flying Roos superstition that’s stuck and fun fact - the team goes through 2 kgs of peanut M&Ms per event
War Room
A private hotel room has been booked for the shore team to run deep data reviews of every past grand final analysing patterns, pressure moments and winning behaviours.
Re-Clysar Touch-Up
The shore team has spent days removing and reapplying the tape and Clysar on the jib endplate and beams, finetuning every surface to keep the boat as light and aerodynamic as possible,
Portable Ice Bath
A pop-up ice bath to aid in a sailors recovery post racing.
Team Photo Wall
A photo collage celebrating their best memories and three previous title successes.
“Lucky” Undies
Lucky undies - fresh BONDS sets — have been delivered to the crews.
Secret good-luck video
A private video not for publication with messages of support and inspiration from families, celebrities and sporting legends.
Team Vision Wall
A visual anchor in the briefing room with every team member’s answer to “why do you want to win?” and “how do we want to win? ”
Surprise Aussie room drop
When the athletes check in, they’ll find uniquely Australian care packs: Tim Tams, Vegemite, the iconic Boxing Roo flag, plus framed photos from the team’s three grand Final wins.
Jet lag Recovery
Athletes are touching down earlier than normal to acclimatise to the desert heat and shake of fatigue.
Second Laptop
An extra laptop will be on-board for additional real-time data checks.
Daily Stretch Sessions on Base
Before each day on the water, the crew runs a guided mobility session to stay loose, switched-on and injury-free.
Iced Face Cloths
Ice-cold towels are ready every day to keep the crew sharp and cool between sessions.
Snack suitcase
Suitcase of the must-have snacks has been flown in with recovery shakes, protein granola bars, 48 packets of chia energy squeeze pouches and dried mango slices.
